Page 92 of One True Mate

“What?” I asked, furious.

“I'm sorry, Kyle, she refused to leave.”

“And I'm not going to either. They are here for me. I fight side by side with you. Period. There's not time or room for discussion. I can hold my own, Kyle.”

“Babe, I know you can.” I went to her and hugged her. “That doesn't mean I don't hate that you're going to though.”

She laughed in my arms. “Thank you for not forcing me out. I couldn't stand to sit in there and not have any idea what was going on out here.”

“I would keep you updated every step of the way.” I tried, hopeful she'd reconsider even though I knew otherwise.

“Kyle, Dad says they are heading this way. There's about 75 of them and they are moving quickly but in a dense pack. Staying together and all,” Chase told me. “He wants to meet them at the break in the woods, head on.”

“Okay, let's roll out. Tell Cole and Ambrose's teams to come in from behind. And Quinton and Mallick's teams to the left and right. We'll surround them. Only 75? We've got them outnumbered by a lot. Do not lessen the guards at any of the passes. We need immediate intel if more are on their way. And I strongly suspect they are.”

Only seventy-five?I heard the small voice squeak in my head.

I turned to Kelsey. “For an attack on a pack as big and strong as Westin, seventy-five is a suicide mission.”

She nodded in understanding.

I rubbed my hands up and down her arms, needing to calm my wolf and watching her visibly relax too. I leaned forward so that our foreheads touched and I breathed her scent in allowing it to wash over me.

Not wanting to share the moment, I spoke through our bond.Babe, I know you are strong and powerful, but every instinct in my being says to lock you up and keep you safe.

I felt her stiffen.

I'm not going to stop you. I understand you need to do this, but I don't have to like it. Please remember I'm an alpha too and it's my job to protect my mate. It is my only job that truly matters. Please stay behind me tonight. Let me take the lead and if things get too heated out there and I say run, you turn tail and run and don't look back. I promise I'll be right behind you.

I held my breath, awaiting her response. I was fighting against my nature trying hard to give her what she needed. After what seemed like an eternity she slowly nodded. I kissed her forehead, flooded in relief.

With that we were on the move again. My brothers each had a unit assembled. I nodded and they took off leading their units as we had planned. Kelsey and I joined Dad's unit. She stayed just behind me to the left. I didn't think she could possibly understand how much it meant to me. I tried to tamper the happiness resonating through me. After all, we were headed to war.

We knew the exact location of interception and did not expend any energy getting there as our unit purposefully walked on to face the enemy in our territory. Just as Kamen and his pack of wolves came into view at a full sprint heading straight for us, so did Chase and Liam's units flanking them from our right and left.

The trespassers checked up and came to a halt. I knew exactly which wolf was the alpha and saw him signal to his pack before changing to stand as a man before us.

“Jason of the Westin Pack, we mean no harm to you or your wolves. We only want the girl lost to us. She must return to her pack.”

My father shifted and turned to scold me with his stare as a growl erupted from me.

“As you well know, the girl has bonded with my son. And she has officially joined Westin Pack. As their bond is complete, I can assure you that every member of my pack is prepared to fight to the death for their future Pack Alpha and Pack Mother.”

Howls erupted all around us, and many from much farther away responded in kind. The Bulgarian wolves growled in return. Kamen's face scrunched up in a snarl, baring his teeth even while in human form.

“Do not fool yourself, Jason, I have come to take back what is mine. This abomination defeated death once and she will not do so again. My condolences for your son, but what must be done, must be done. Make no mistake, they will die the death she should have died alongside her sisters nearly twenty years ago, and each of my men here are committed to see this through.”

Kamen then raised his head and gave a strange grunting, howling, sort of sound I had never heard but if I had been in my skin knew would cause goosebumps. The sound reverberated throughout the woods and off in the distance. He then grinned the most evil grin I had ever seen.

“Surely you didn't think me foolish enough to come with such a small pack. Did you?”

I was so focused on him as he finished his speech and quickly shifted to wolf to begin his attack, that I did not feel Kelsey's power stirring until it was wrapped with mine. I chanced a quick look back expecting to see fear in my mate's eyes, but only saw resolve. Her focus alone was lethal and her eyes were locked on to her prey.

Kamen sprinted towards my father without even giving him time to shift. He snapped hard at his neck missing by only inches as he bit into his shoulder. Dad let out a howl of pain that jolted the Westin pack into action. I felt Kelsey moving, stalking slowly towards them. I didn't bother trying to reach out through our bond, she was fully open to me. No thoughts remaining, only emotions and I knew she had given herself fully to her wolf.

We moved in sync towards her one goal. I tried not to let my wolf over power me too. Seeing our mate in her most primitive state made it more difficult than ever, but I needed to think and protect her. Movement to my right had me turning just in time to see a large grey wolf leap for attack. I side stepped and came back abruptly as he landed in the spot I had been just seconds before. I threw my entire weight into him and quickly latched on to his neck ripping his throat out as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I turned back to Kelsey and found her crouched, still watching and biding her time, but I also felt she was obeying and waiting on me. I quickly joined her taking the lead once more. And as she rose and followed off my left hindquarters, my wolf jumped a few extra steps jubilantly even in the midst of such danger. I didn't dare look around any further than immediate threats to my mate. I had faith in my pack and knew they would do what needed to be done. My job was to protect Kelsey, and that meant killing the man that so blatantly threatened our lives.

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